Edwin roberts



Patented Apr. 4, I899. E. noaams.

AX HEAD.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1898.)

(No Model.)

NIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN ROBERTS, OF SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CLYDE MONTGOMERIE BALLANTYNE, OF SAME PLACE.

AX-HEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,395, dated April 4:, 1899. Application and September 29. 1398. Serial No. 692,259. (No model.)

operation be effectually performed when theshaft is broken or Worn out it is very difficult, indeed, to remove the broken shaft from the eye of the aX-head. The removal of the broken shaft may be effected in one of two ways,

either by chipping the remnant out of the eye or by burning it out. The chipping process is a long and tedious one and the burning out of the wedged pieces of wood tends to destroy the temper of the steel in the ax-head.

The present invention consists in'certain improvements in ax and tool heads, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed ou in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the aX-head mounted onits haft or shaft. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same, taken on the line 1 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken on the line 3 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section to that -shown in Fig. 3 and illustrates one mode of removing the broken haft or shaft from the eye. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 5 6 of Fig. 3, showing the shaft being removed from the aX-head.

The eye B of the aX-head A is similar in form to that in common use, but its sides are made with a double taper or X form. (Shown best in Figs. 3 and 4.) The shaft 0 is driven home into the eye Bin the usual manner and is then split by the dog-wedge D, which is provided with lateral jagged teeth to prevent it from slipping. It will thus be seen that it isimpossible for the shaft to slip from the eye in either direction, because of the X shape of the sides of the eye in combination with the dog-wedge D.

The ax-head A is perforated with a transverse slot E, which passes right through the ax-head from side to side at right angles to the eye and is preferably made a little longer than the width of the haft or shaft, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The slot maybe made either narrow (say three-sixteenths of an inch) or wide, (say three-eighths of an inch or more,) so as to admit a cutting-tool. If the slot is narrow, a chisel may be employed to cut the part of the haft that is within the eye into two parts, and when the separation has been effected the ax-head should be sharply tapped, when the lower end of the haft will drop out of the eye. A piece of wood or metal should then be inserted into the part of the eye that has been emptied, so as to abut against the wedged or upper part of the haft, and on its being smartly tapped the wedged piece of the haft will drop out of the eye.

If the slot E is wide, an auger-bit can be inserted into it and a number of smallholes be bored in the haft, as shown in Fig. 5. If a wedge, such as F, be then inserted into the slot, the two parts of the haft will be forced out in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 4., and the eye will then be free to receive a new haft or shaft.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-is \l p 1. An ax or tool head having an eye to receive the haft, and a slot transverse to said eye, said slot being in length as great as the width of the haft, substantially as set forth.

2. An ax or tool head having an eye of a double taper or X form, and a slot transverse to said eye .at its narrowest point, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

J AS. T. HUNTER, CLYDE M. BALLANTYNE. 

